Author's note: The following chapter is inspired from true facts. Those familiar with FCW will perhaps have a (bitter) smile…

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"WHAT THE BIGGER PICTURE IS FOR"

Chapter 5 - Holy Fire

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Wade was in David Otunga's room. Both were leaning against the balcony, watching the first lights of the approaching dawn in complete silence, sometimes drinking from their respective bottles. They hadn't voiced a word for the past fifteen minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. Wade side-looked at David, wondering what kind of memories the Hollywood boy would remember about Heath. The first time he had met the ginger was at the NXT tournament a few months earlier. He hadn't known Heath when he was the light of FCW, when everybody were looking up at him, wanted to be like him, or fight by his side.

Wade brought his gaze back in front of him. He had arrived in FCW with his dark personality and sometimes rough behavior. He had always believed that looking strong and merciless, and imposing fear on people, were the only way to make it through this business.

So when he had made his first steps in FCW, the school brand of WWE, the last step before his ultimate goal, he had expected the top dogs to be imposing and somehow scary figures. He would never forget his first day.

After signing his developmental contract, he had followed John Laurinaitis to the FCW building where the show was being held. They had arrived towards the end of the show, during the main event, but John Laurinaitis had told him to wait and take a seat backstage, while their number one, a guy named Heath Slater, was disputing the main-event match.

Wade had smirked. Whoever was their number one, he'd try to reach him, and overthrow him. He had tried to imagine that Number One guy, from the stature, look and attitude of all the other wrestlers he would see passing by. His first estimation was that 'Heath Slater' probably from 6 feet 5 inches to 7 feet tall, broad shoulders, squared jaw, hair probably shaved or with a Mohawk to look more bad-ass, full of scary tattoos, thick eyebrows, sun tan, and most likely over 300 lbs.

After he heard the match ending with the announcement of Slater's victory, he saw the loser passing through the black curtains, and his brute look made Wade confident about his guess about Heath.

So, he almost choked with surprise when the black curtains parted a few moments later, revealing a smaller young man, with pale skin, long silky red hair cascading almost to his elbows, and a face almost girly, tilted slightly on his right as soft and questioning brown eyes were resting on him.

Wade had blinked. Was this a joke? This couldn't be THE Heath Slater everyone was talking about. This was probably the guy who had accompanied the other wrestler to the ring, a manager or a lackey of some sort. And his sweat covered skin and rapid breathing could only mean that he had taken a severe beating by the hands of that Slater guy. Wade's eyes shifted to the curtains behind the strange man in front of him, expecting Slater to appear any seconds from now.

"So you must be the new guy, heh?", the red-haired started with a pitch lower than what Wade would have expected, and a strong accent he couldn't place. Wade blinked, his train of thoughts interrupted, and brought back his attention to the youth. "John Laurinaitis told me about your coming".

Wade blinked again. The man hadn't said "John Laurinaitis told us", but "told me". Before he could proceed any other thought, the youth was reducing the distance between them, his hand offered for a handshake.

"I'm Heath Slater".

Everything that he might have told afterwards was drown for Wade as realization hit him like a bulldozer. So much for his guess. Like in a trance he saw himself lifting his own hand and engulfing Slater's. Surprisingly, the grip the red-haired returned was strong, and their handshake was firm.

"I'm… Wade Barrett", he said hesitantly, trying to gather his thoughts as he stood on his feet, still shaking Slater's hand.

"Well, Wade Barrett", Heath said with a genuine smile. "Welcome in the FCW family".

Wade smiled back, letting go of Heath's hand. A broad and amused smile that didn't actually contain any friendly intension. Santa Claus - that old bastard - had finally read his letters. If THIS was really their number one, himself would quickly make his way to the top! He was almost disappointed by the lack of challenge.

He had quickly changed his mind when he had observed Heath's next match a week later. First, his appearance was giving a false idea. At first sight, his long hair and soft features would create the automatic illusion that he was of a weak stature, and seeing him appearing with his long leather back coat for his entrance was increasing the idea of a lean morphology.

But when Heath removed his coat, tossing it behind him and preparing himself for the upcoming match, Wade saw that the youth was far from being frail. Oh, he wasn't a Mister Universe, body-building champion as he had seen before - those people usually looked good, yet were never able to truly fight - but he had broad shoulders and strong arms and abs. Wade felt himself being a bit fatty in comparison. And the surprise didn't stop there.

Wade had made a quick estimation of Heath's weight and body mass from what he was seeing. He was trying to determine some flaws in what he assumed would be his opponent sooner or later, and had come to the conclusion that one cannot move quickly with such a strong-built body. Something he would use to his advantage when his time would come.

But once again, Heath had exploded all his expectations. Not only was the youth strong built, but he was also moving with a speed Wade had only seen in lean high-flyers. And speaking of high-flyer, he saw Slater make a few acrobatic moves that almost defied the law of gravity. And when it came to defend himself, Heath was dodging with such a speed that Wade was almost wondering if he could be reading the mind of his opponent and predicting every moves. He was apparently totally aware of his opponent's body language. And when Wade saw Heath using some boxing techniques himself had learned in his dark past as bare-knuckled fighter, he automatically understood that his way to the top of FCW would take a "bit" longer than expected.

Heath Slater was not a "weak girly wrestler"; he was even probably using voluntary his appearance to deceive his opponents and lower their guard. He was a strong, fast, clever, agile opponent who knew how to get the sympathy of the crowd and feed from their support. And the following weeks would show Wade that Heath had a different strategy and still plenty of moves for each opponent he would get in front of him, and he would even sometimes assimilate his opponents techniques.

Heath Slater wasn't FCW Number One for nothing, actually. He was a perfect weapon that would probably take over the WWE if given the occasion. Wade lifted his gaze on a giant WWE poster behind a celebrating Heath. Yeah, he could even one day defeat WWE's golden boy John Cena, given time.

Wade smiled without realizing. Now, reaching Slater's level was a valid purpose that would push him to evolve and improve.

"It looks like someone has a man-crush", a voice with a heavy - yet familiar - accent said next to him. Wade blinked, frowned, then got a grip on the chair before him with the purpose of smashing it in the face of whoever had voiced out that blasphemy, when he recognized Drew McIntyre, his long time buddy from United Kingdom. He thus remembered that Drew had joined FCW a bit before him.

"Don't worry, mate!", Drew said half-laughing (even if he had probably seen his life flashing before his eyes), "he makes that effect on everyone", the Scottish went on, tilting his head towards Heath. "He has the type of shining personality which makes everyone wanting to gravitate around him. You'll get used to it. Wanna grab some Stella's after the show?".

And Drew had been right about Heath personality. As fierce as he could be in a match, he had always a kind or helping word for a colleague in difficulty, or would take the time to carefully prepare a move during the training session, would even push people to go beyond their limits and try new techniques. Wade never really got the occasion to actually train with Heath for a match, but he could observe that from others.

And even after a hard day of training, Heath would always be full of energy, ready to go outside and have fun, quickly becoming the life of the party.

Wade had almost be tempted to join him in the "Light", changing his attitude, becoming more sociable, friendlier with the public. But it was quite difficult since his team with Drew McIntyre was supposed to represent the darkest and wildest pit of Europe.

Then Wade had been injured and put aside from the ring for several months. Pacing alone in his two-room flat like a lion in a cage, he had started seeing everything in pitch black, and his admiration for Slater had started to turn into anger and jealousy. He would be back, and he would destroy the number one and show everyone what he truly was capable of.

So when he had been allowed back in FCW, but on the commentary booth, waiting to be completely healed before returning in the ring, he had tried another approach, boosting Heath Slater's ego through his comments, implying that Heath really was Heavyweight champion material, and that it was a shame he was most of the time walking around without a belt. He had also pointed on his charisma, saying that any fangirl who wanted to have a date with him would have to make a mile-long bee-line with all the other fangirls. He knew Heath was usually watching the tapes from the shows, in order to observe and learn from mistakes. And so, all of his words progressively sunk in, and little by little, Heath started to develop a darker side and a slightly mocking and greedy personality. Yet, it was still very light, almost imperceptible for untrained eyes.

Then Heath got injured and was taken away from the ring for a few months. And when he was back, Wade could feel the change, the planted seed had grown. His arrogance was starting to overshadow his playful personality, and his increasing ego was reducing his natural connection with the fans. By that time, the crowd was still with him, probably holding on their old memories of him, hoping his actual attitude was just an aftermath of his long absence and that their Heath would soon be back.

But when a newcomer from South Africa - Justin Gabriel - arrived in FCW, he wasn't welcomed with a handshake and a smile, like Wade had been, but with a rather brutal exchange of blows in the middle of the ring. By that time, the crowd was still with Heath. But things would change. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, but surely.

Then Heath became the Heavyweight champion. The crowd was happy for him, yet Wade had noticed - with a smile - that they had been slightly less supportive than expected during the whole triple thread match. But Heath didn't see it. His entire focus was on the golden belt. He stood proudly on the ropes, the Heavyweight belt above his head, bragging about it, and forgot to salute and thank his fans.

A few boos started to appear here and there, but Heath didn't pay attention to them. The Heavyweight champion belt was his, and helped him prove to everyone that he truly was FCW number one. It was like he had completely forgotten that earlier, he had never needed the belt to be the number one for everyone. In reality, he didn't need the belt at all, but in his mind, he wrongly felt that he was nothing without it. With the belt, he was the champion. With the belt, he truly was the number one. The crowd couldn't hate him if he had the belt, could they? So he didn't hear the growing anger from the fans. But Wade did. And smiled.

And when Heath lost his Heavyweight title to Justin in a long two out of three falls 30 minutes long match, he realized then that the crowd was with the South African, and no longer by his side. And he thought it was only because he didn't have the belt anymore.

He snapped and turned his back on them.

And the next week, when the FCW president Steve Keirn himself, unveiling to everyone the new FCW giant poster, showing Justin with his golden belt, Heath realized that he had been the number one for months, showing his best, helping everyone, even sacrificing his occasion to join WWE in order to stay one more year in FCW and help his comrades progressing… and holding the Heavyweight title for weeks… and he never got that tribute. That South-African kid had just arrived, and was receiving honors that Heath had never been given, even after years of good services.

Apparently just because he didn't have the belt, he didn't exist anymore. People were turning their back on him, forgetting all he had done for them. His anger and rage burnt the remaining good traces in him…

And Wade was ready to welcome him in the dark side with open arms.

But then something happened which modified his plans. They were both called with 6 others, on a new reality TV wrestling show called NXT, where they would have to compete on various levels, strength, agility, intelligence, … and the winner would get a guaranteed contract with WWE and a match of his choice for a main title.

The dream.

Heath and Wade started on NXT, with respective mentors. Wade lost whatever control he ever had over Heath, and in a new place with new people, and a new look with shorter hair, Slater tried to return to his former self. But the damage had been done. If he was again always smiling, hyperactive, full of energy and getting the crowd by his side, his light was almost gone. To Wade, the Heath he had met two years ago was gone. This was now almost a smiling child, desperately hoping that mommy and daddy will still love him. Actually, the crowd liked him and supported him, but not with the same intensity as before.

Heath had been eliminated two weeks before the end, and Wade had won the competition. So when Wade had walked to Heath with his Nexus plans in mind, he had seen a man who was a shell of his former self. The man who could have once taken over the WWE and overthrown John Cena was gone. Their roles had been reversed. Wade had extended his hand towards a sitting Heath, shaking the youth's hand as he was standing on his feet.

"Well, Heath Slater… Welcome to the NEXUS".

Wade brought his attention back on the approaching dawn, the glow in the horizon becoming brighter and brighter, and he bit his lower lip with guilt. He still didn't know what had happened to Heath the night before, but he felt that he had - somehow - a part of responsibility in his death.

He had turned a creature of light into a symbol of hatred for many. If someone had killed Heath because of his "annoying personality", or even his acquaintance with the Nexus, Wade would never forgive himself.

He let his mind wandered freely again, not resisting against the flow of memories, phrases, voices, too tired to check if those voices were actual memories, or just… ideas… Heath had once been a creature of light. They had to continue. For him.

"We're going to rethink the whole thing, David". Wade finally broke the silence.

David blinked, taken out of his own train of thoughts, and turned toward his leader: "What do you mean?"

"I think we lost some of our initial energy and motivation these past weeks", Wade went on. "The Bigger Picture, there are days when this mission looks so complex and impossible to realize…"

"What do you intend to do?", David's voice was lower than usual, and his words were coming slowly. The exhaustion from the stress and the lack of sleep was probably gaining him.

"Heath is talking to me", Wade started. In front of Otunga's empty gaze, he went on: "Believe me or not, it's like that". To his relief, David was perhaps too tired to mock him, so he went on: "if he managed to give me back the holy fire, I should be able to transmit it to the other Nexuses".

David brought his gaze back to the horizon, with the dawn almost there. "What if we overestimated ourselves? What if we couldn't accomplish the quest we received?".

Wade shook his head. "No, I know we are capable of completing this mission". His voice was stronger, with renewed energy. David turned his eyes to him, curious.

"And how can you be so sure?"

Wade looked back at David with clear eyes, quietly. Then as the first rays of sun pierced the horizon and lit his face, the Nexus leader smiled softly.

"Because Heath is telling me".

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TO BE CONTINUED

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The next chapter will be the conclusion to this story, and what happened to Heath will be finally revealed. I hope this chapter helped some of you discover how he was before the Nexus.

Don't hesitate to share your thoughts, I'm really interested into discovering what are your feelings and expectations after this chapter… :)